Shoplifters Nabbed in Two Separate Incidents

On April 6, police were dispatched to Stop & Shop on East Main Street on a report of two men stealing groceries.

Upon arrival, police met with the store manager who said that one male had taken merchandise without paying for it and was walking toward a car in the parking lot, while the second man was in the store at the cash register.

Police located the man in the parking lot, identified as Carlton Bailey, 55, of Bridgeport, who had in his possession three steaks and two cans of baby formula. Bailey could not provide a receipt for the merchandise and was handcuffed and placed in the police cruiser.

After the second man, Steve Jordan, 50, also of Bridgeport, paid for merchandise at the cash register, police detained him at the exit. He was questioned and said he had no idea that his friend was shoplifting. He produced a valid receipt for the items in his possession.

However, when police ran the license plate on the car the men were in, it came back expired and belonging on another car. Records also showed that Jordan had a suspended driver’s license.

Based on that information, Jordan was charged with driving while under suspension, misuse of a marker plate, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and no insurance. He was ordered to stay out of the store and released on a promise to appear in court on April 12. The car was towed from the scene.

Bailey was taken to headquarters and was charged with larceny for having $81.10 in merchandise in his possession without paying. Bond was set at $500 and he was put in cell one pending an April 15 court date.

Meanwhile, earlier that week on April 3, police responded to Wal-Mart on Barnum Avenue Cutoff on a report of two shoplifters in custody. Upon arrival, police talked to store security personnel who told them he observed two people identified as Louis Ciliberti, 23, and Brittany Chadwick, 21, conceal items and leave the store past all points of purchase.

The store official said the defendants opened boxed of DVDs and concealed them in Ciliberti’s right front pocket while Chadwick allegedly concealed a blouse in her purse. The total value of the items taken was $93.92.

Chadwick was charged with larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny and released on a promise to appear in court on April 13. 

Upon further checking, police found two outstanding warrants for Cilberti for charges that included robbery, larceny and breach of the peace. He was also charged with larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny and held in $25,000 bond and $1,000 bond for the priors, and $2,500 bond for the newest charges pending an April 13 court date.